Fuel supply system for internal combustion engines



Nbv. 3 1936. s. R. ERICS'ON El Al. 2,059,325

FUEL SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES 'FiledhJune 20, 1930. 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTQRS 1.50am Kb 1)- B0 YCE AT RNEY N06. 3, 193s. R ERl N ET AL I "2,059,325

FUEL SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES FiledJune 20, 1930 5 She ets-Sheet 2 I lflllfllllll III!!! FUEL SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES 5 She'ets-Sheet 3 Filed June 20, 1930 'Nov. 3, 1936, I G. R. ERICSONET AL 2,059,325

FUEL SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES 5 sheets sheet I 4 Filed June 20; 19:50

n l lllrliwv v A INVENTORYS LED/VARDQBfiYCE BY Manes/amino 5 3;

' A ORNEY Nov. 3, 1936. G. R. ERICSON m, 2,059,325

FUEL SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed June 20, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I03 I26 I05 482 I I2? 13 I '0 {a I20 06 I 4 J 07 99 :12 j 4 I00 1 I v I -17 4 I H3 m I02 a '95 r t I I |o| 93 i I 89. I v 94 I I E 1 I INVENTOIR v 96v LEO/MRDflBOYCE BY 6508652576504 Patented Nov. 3, 1936 FUEL SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES George R. Ericsson and Leonard D. Boyce, Mapletvood, Mo., assignors to (latter Carburetor Gorporation, St. ironic, Mo., a corporation of Delaware Application June 20, 1930, Serial No. 462,869

ll iilaims. (6i. 158-365) This invention relates to a fuel supply system for internal combustion engines, and particularly for internal combustion engines for gasoline automobiles or the like. v

5 It is an object of the invention to provide a new and improved supply means for supplying a vaporized mixture of fuel and air to an internal combustion engine.

It is a further object of the invention to pro- 10 vide a new and improved fuel pumping device for supplying fuel from the supply tank of an internal combustion engine to the carburetor.

It is a further object of the invention to provide anew and improved carburetor for internal 15 combustion engines.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a new and improved pressure regulating device for fuel supply systems.-

It is a further object of the invention to pro- 20 vide a generally new-and improved system for supplying, mixing, and vaporizing fuel for internal combustion engines.

The invention will be better understood upon reference to the accompanying drawings, in

95 which:

Figure l is a diagrammatic representation of an installation made according to one form of our invention.

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Figure 5 80 showing a form of fuel pumping device according to one embodiment of our invention.

Figure 3 is a sectional view showing a form of pressure regulating valve according to one embodiment of our invention.

35 Figure 4 is a plan view of the parts shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a section taken along the line 5--5 of Figure 2. a

Figure 6 isa fragmentary view taken along the 40 line 6-6 of Figure 5 showing the fuel outlet valve of the pumping mechanism shown in Figures 2 and 5.

Figure 7 is an upside down view of parts of the pumping device shown in Figures 2 and 5.

Figure 8 is an end elevation of a modified form of fuel pumping device.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the valve mechanism of the pumping device 50 shown in Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a vertical section taken on line Ill-l of Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a detail view taken substantially along line illl of Figure 9.

55 Figure 12 is a disassembled view of the spring over-throw mechanism used in connection with the valve shown in Figures 9, 10, and 11. I

Figure 13 is a diagrammatic sectional view of the pumping device shown in Figures 8 and 9.

Figure 14 is a plan view of the pumping device shown in Figures 8 and 13.

Figure 15 shows a sectional elevation of the gas connector to the engine cylinder.

Figure 16 shows a modified form of moisture escape device.

Thereference numeral i (Fig. 1') indicates an internal combustion engine of the usual automotive type having an intake manifold 2 to which is attached the carburetor indicated generally at t. Afuel supply tank 4 is mounted at the rear of the automobile and slightly lower than the engine, as indicated. This is the conventional location of the fuel tank, but it will be understood that certain features of the invention are equally applicable where the fuel tank is 20 located at any relative height with respect to the engine. The fuel pumping device generally indicated at 5 is mounted preferably on the bottom of the fuel tank to receive fuel therefrom by gravity, and the fuel is pumped through the outlet line 6 from the pump to the pressure regulating device 1 adjacent the-carburetor. The fluid pressure for operating the pump is supplied, preferably, from the cylinder of the engine through a conduit 8, as indicated.

The carburetor comprises a body member 9 having a flange Hi which is secured by means of bolts, or otherwise, to the intake manifold 2 of the engine. A downwardly extending air passageway il extends from the inlet end of the carburetor downwardly to a venturi i2 and through the venturi to a discharge outlet l3. An annular groove i4 is formed in the outer surface of the venturi so as to form with the body of the carburetor an annular fuel chamber. One or more passageways ii are formed in the venturi to connect this annular chamber with the throat of the venturi as indicated. Suitable grooves or depressions it are formed in the venturi to receive screw I! which retains the venturi in its 4 position.

The carburetor is provided with a throttle Iii mounted on a. shaft l9 which is controlled by the operator by means of conventional mechanism (not shown). A cam 20 rigid with the throttle shaft is mounted on the pivot '22 and functions with mechanism in a housing 34, which mechanism does not in itself. constitute a part of the present-invention, to meter fuel entering the carburetor according to the position of the throttle.

The carburetor details, in themselves do not constitute the present invention and any suitable carbure' r may be used. Where the carburetor is provi ed with a constant level chamber and float operated valve, this in constitutes a secondary pressure control means in addition to the pressure control means I.

The fuel is supplied under pressure to the inlet 23 of the pressure control mechanism 1. This pressure control mechanism (see Fig. 3) is provided with a valve 24 cooperating with the wall of restriction 25 to cut oil the pressure and cut oil the flow of fuel to the carburetor. The valve 24 is suitably connected by a stem 24a to a flexible diaphragm 25 which is mounted on the open end of the chamber 21 in the pressure control device. A spring or a weight 28 is provided to normally hold the diaphragm in the depressed position shown in Figure 3, in which position the valve 24 is open to its greatest extent, permitting a substantially free flow of gasoline through the device and through the outlet 28 to the carburetor. A cap or spring housing 30 holds the diaphragm in place, and the housing is, in turn, held by suitable screws 3|. It will be obvious that the position of the diaphragm and of the valve 24 will vary in accordance with the'pressure in the chamber 21: The passageway 29 terminates'in a fitting 32 which is attached to the fuel regulating device by means of a bolt 33.

The fuel is supplied from the main tank 4 and according to the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 2, 5, 6 and '7, the fuel supply device 5 comprises a casing 50 divided by a partition 5|, shown as integral therewith, into a pair of wells 52 and 53. Attached to the casing 58 is a cover 54 having integral therewith a partition 5Ia forming a continuation of partition 5Ia. Screen 55 is mounted on the cover. The whole device is then attached to the bottom of the fuel tank 4, as shown in Figure 2. A pair of check valve members 55 are mounted in the cover 54. These check valve members open downwardly into tubes 51 which discharge into the lower portions of the wells 52 and 53. Grooves or notches 58 are provided in the upper ends of the tubes 51, which support check valve disks 59 to permit the flow of the fuel from the tank through the tubes 51 when the check valves are open. Air domes Bil and GI are formed in cover 54.

Fluid under pressure, preferably air or gas from the combustion chamber of the engine, is supplied to the fuel pump through the conduit 8. It will be understood that the gas in the combustion chamber may contain some water which will condense by the time the gas is cooled oil by passing through the conduit 8 to the back of the automobile. To take care of this moisture, we provide a separator device (Figs. 2 and 5) comprising a body member 62 attached to the bottom of pumping device 5 and having a chamber 63 therein. The conduit 8 is connected to body 62 by means of athreaded nipple 84 and threaded nipple 55 having a passage 65 connects body member 62 with the casing 50 of the pump. The lower portion of chamber 63 has internal threads 68 and a shoulder 61 and is closed by a threaded plug 59 having an opening ID. A piece of heavy cloth II is held against the shoulder 61 by the plug 69. The texture of this cloth is such that small quantitles of water may pass through it slowly, but

and dense (but not necessarily thick) materials will serve the same purpose. We also contemplate using a plurality of separated disks of cloth for the same purpose, the cloths being mounted in a stack and tightly held between suitable separating members.

A pair of upwardly extending tubes I2 and 13 are mounted in the partition 5| to receive air or gas under pressure from the e 55 and conduit 8. These tubes communicate with passage 55 through restricted oriflces I4 and I5 and extend up in the air domes BI! and 8| and discharge above the level of the fuel in the wells 52 and 53.

It will be understood that while a specific embodiment of fluid or gas supply means is hereinafter described for supplying air or gas under pressure through the conduit- 8, any suitable means, for instance, an air pump, could be used for that purpose. The essential point is to have some means for supplying gas or other suitable fluid under substantial pressure, so as to maintain a constant flow of gas into the chambers 52 and 53. Discharge ports I5 and 11 are provided in partition 5Ia and these ports communicate with a passage 8| in partition 5Ia and with a curved tube 82. These ports are controlled by a double valve I8 which is mounted on a stem I8 extending into the dome and having-a pair of spaced shoulders 80 for operation by a means hereinafter described.

A discharge conduit 8| (Fig. 2) is formed in the partitions 5| and 5Ia and.a bent tube 82 is connected to the outlet of this conduit by any suitable means such as the nut 83. The upper end of the tube, preferably, is turned over, as shown, to discharge downwardly and preferably the tube is made of such small diameter that fuel and air will not pass simultaneously therethrough. I

A bracket 84 is mounted on the partition 5| and provided with a pivot 01' pintle 85 on which float 85 is mounted. The float has connected thereto a fork 81 which straddles the rod I9 between the shoulders 80. With the float mechanism as indicated, one portion of double valve 18 is closed against the seat 71 when the float 86 is down, and the other portion of the valve I8 is closed against the seat I6 when the float 86 is up. It will, of course, be understood that the double valve I8 is long enough between the valve portions to permit a substantially free passage of fluid through either one of the valve seats 16 and 11 when the other is closed.

Referring to Figures 5 and 6, the partition 5| is provided with a pair of valve seat members 88 and'89 communicating with passage I49, which members loosely enclose a ball valve 90. A preponderance of pressure in either direction will cause the ball valve 90 to seat against the opposite valve seat member, but permitting fluid to pass readily from one of the chambers 52 or 53 to the nipple 9| connected to the conduit 6.

The passage I49 is connected by a nipple 9| to fuel supply conduit 6 oi the carburetor and communicates with the main fuel tank through an orifice I49a. A valve I50 carried by arm I5Ila controls the orifice I49a, the valve arm being pivoted at I5I to the cover member 54 of the pumping device. A spring I 52, adjustable by a screw I53, partially controls the pressure on the valve I58. A weight I54 mounted on the valve at the rear and slightly above the pivot |5| assists the spring I 52 in holding the valve in closed position.

The valve 50 and associated elements act as a aocaieac shown and is provided with a bore I51 opening,

into the engine combustion chamber. 7

A ball check valve I58 normally held in closed position by a spring I59, readily permits the discharge of gas from the cylinder, but prevents its return thereto. A collar I00 pressed into the counter bore IGI holds the spring in position. A conventional pipe connection I82 is used to secure the end 01 the conduit 8 to the nipple I50.

In Figure 16 I have shown a combined pressure relief valve and water separating device comprising a body member I35, a threaded inlet nipple I36 for connecting the device to the pressure conduit 8 and a second nipple I31 for attachment to the pressure connection 5 of the pump- I ,is controlled by a valve I M pivoted to the body member at 142. An adjustable weight I43 is attached to valve arm I44 connecting the valve with the pivot I42 and'the weight I43, which arm I44 is mounted so that the pivot is toward the front and the weight towards the rear end of the car. The weight is located at a point lower than the pivot.

The lower end of the body member I35 is closed by a plug I40. An adjusting screw I4'I is provided in the plug, and a vent I48 is formed either-in the plug, as shown or in the chamber body member to permit the escape of water from the conduit 8 and to reduce excess pressures.

The operation of this feature of the device is as follows: Pressure exceeding a'predetermined amount in the conduit 0 and passageway. I38,

assisted by the weight I43, will cause the valve uphill or is accelerating, the eifective pressure of the fuel at the carburetor is decreased by the a tendency to flow back through the pipe line toward the fuel pu-mp due to gravity or inertia or both.

This defect is overcome with theabove de-- scribed apparatus for the reason that the effective length of the weight arm I44 changes with the angular positionof the car. When the car is going uphill, the center of gravity of weight I43 is closer to a vertical line through the pivot I42, that is, the leverage arm of the weight is shorter, than when the car is going downhill or on the level. The effective force applied by the weight tending to open valve III and compress spring I45, accordingly, is reduced at such time permitting a higher pressure to be delivered through the conduit 0, and the resulting higher pressure of the fuel discharged from the pump. when the automobile is descending a hill, the opposite takes place and the pressure of the fuel is decreased.

Another function of the weight I43 is to vibrate slightly when the car passes over bumps in the road, thereby preventing the formationof ice' at the valve seats, or at least breaking it as fast as it forms. It will be understood that there may be some water condensed out of the gases supplied from the engine cylinder through conduit 8, and it would be undesirable to permit this to collect at the valve, for it might freeze and cause the valve to seal against higher pressures than are desired in the conduit I 30; The orifice I48 provides for draining oiicondensed moisture which collects in chamber I39.

It will be understood that the pressure control device I is capable of being used in addition toa pressurecontrol as shown at I50 in Figure 5 and either or both of these may be used in connection with or in the absence of the special control device shown in Figure 16. Certain types of installations may require different types of pressure control devices, and while these are equivalents in a certain sense, it is contemplated that all these devices might be used in a single installation. Y

Referring to the embodiment of the fuel pumping devices shown in Figures 8 to 14, there is shown acasing 92 divided by a partition 93 to form two chambers 94 and 95. Air or gas under pressure is supplied through the conduit 8 (Fig. 1) to the nipple and the valve chamber 97 formed in the partition 93. A valve stem 98 is rotatably'mounted in the partition, and an operating rod 99 extends through slots I00 in the partition, and through the valve stem 90. Floats IN and I02 are mounted in the chambers and 94. The casing 92 is provided with a cover I03, and valve seat members I04 and I05 are formed in the cover to cooperate with the valves I06 and I01. These valves are mounted on stems I08 and I09 which are pivoted at H0 and III to the floats. The operating rod 99 is also pivoted by pin and slot connections as at H2 and H3 to the stems I08 and I09.

A valve II 4 is fixedly mounted on the endof the valve stem 98 and provided with two radially extending parts H5 and H6 (Fig. 10) which separate the ports I" and H8. The port III selectively connects the discharge outlet H9 with the passages I20 and I2I; that is, the port II'I always also'communicates with the outlet-I I9, and it communicates in one position with the passage I20 as shown in Figure 10 in solid lines to the exclusion oi. passage I2I, while, in the other position as shown in dotted lines in Figure 10, it communicates with the passage I2I to the exclusion of passage I20. The port IIO always communicateswith the inlet passage I22 and selectively communicates with the passages I20 and HI.

A. spring I23 is pivoted at I24 to a member I23a forming a cover for chamber I23 in partition 93 and to a projection I25 on valve II4 as at I25a, the spring being a little longer than the 'distance between the pivots, so as to give the device what is known in the art as a spring overthrow motion and causing it to assume normally one or the other of its bent positions as in Fig. 12 with valve port Ill connecting passage 8 with one or the other of the passages I28 and HI.

Suitable perforations I25 are formed in the cover I08 to permit gasoline to flow into the chambers 94 and 85. It will be understood that these openings I25 are controlled by the valves I06 and I 01. The outlet passageways and check valve, namely parts 88 to 8|, are of the same construction as described in connection with Figure 8, and no further description of these is considered necessary.

The operation of the device shown in Figures 1 to '7 is as follows:

The gas compressed in the cylinder of the engine passes through the conduit 8. The amount of gas thus escaping is, of course, very small in comparison to the total volume of gas in the cylinder. An outwardly opening check valve and suitable flow restricting means are provided at I58 and I51 (Fig. 15) to prevent the return flow of gas into the cylinder. The water trap 82 shown in Figures 2 and catch any condensation in the line 8 and discharge it to the atmosphere, while maintaining a substantial pressure in the conduit 8 and the chamber 88. A slow constant flow of gas passes the restricting orifices l4 and I5 and flows through pipes I2 and I3 up into the domes 58 and 5|. If the float 85 is in its lowermost position, the valve seat I5 will be open and dome 58 exposed to atmospheric pressure in the main fuel tank through conduits 8| and 82. Fuel from the gasoline tank 4 will open the check valve member 58 to the left of Figure 2 by gravity, and fuel will flow downwardly through the corresponding tube 51 to fill the well 53. As soon as the well 53 is substantially filled, the buoyancy of the float 85 will lift the float and move the stem I8 toward the right of Figure 2 and close the valve seat while opening the valve seat 11.

The gases under pressure will then escape from the well 52, and the flow of the gas through the orifice I5 will then build up a pressure in the well 53 closing check valve member 55 in the left of Figure 2, and moving check valve 90 to the right in Figure 6 to closing against the seat member 88 and permitting fuel to be discharged from the lower portion of. the well 58 through seat member 89. This fuel will then flow through the conduit 6 and the pressure control device I to the carburetor. It will be understood that the pressure which is built up in the well 53 and the dome 60 will assist in maintaining the valve I8 in position to close the seat I6, but, as the fuel level approaches the bottom of the float 85, the weight of the float will finally pull the valve I8 away from the seat I6, permitting the escape of gas from the dome 68 and the well 53.

During the time the fuel was being discharged under pressure from the well 53, the valve seat 11' was open and the constant flow of gas through the restricted Orifice I4 and the tube I2 was permitted to flow out unobstructed through the-exhaust conduit 82 and into the gasoline tank from which the pressure would escape through the usual air leak provided in such tanks. The disk 59 of the check valve member 55 in chamber 52 being open and permitting the flow of fuel thereinto from the tank. This well 52 is substantially full of fuel by the time the fuel is discharged from the well 53 and upon the closure of the valve I8 on seat 11, pressure immediately begins to build up in the well 52, causing the discharge of fuel through seat member 68 and conduit 5 from that well to the pressure control devices. The highly restricted passages I4 and I5 communicating by means of tubes I2 and II with the domes 8| and 50 and also with the separator chamber 53 and with the atmosphere thru the opening III, form a highly restricted constant communication between the atmosphere and the chambers 52 and 58 so that when the operation of the device is stopped the pressure existing in either one of the chambers 52 or 53 is relieved in a comparatively short time, thereby preventing possible difliculties by reason of a leak at the float valve at the carburetor.

When there is no pressure in the chamber 21 of the pressure control device, the valve 24 remains in full open position as shown in Figure 3, but as the pressure is built up in the chamber 21, the valve 24 is partially closed, thereby regulating the pressure to a substantially constant head. The valve 24 flts loosely in the orifice 25, so that this opening is never entirely closed; otherwise, the pressure on the head of the valve 24 might build up to such an extent that the diaphragm would not readily respond to the variations in the pressure chamber 2'l. This is of small importance, however, for the diameter of. the valve 24 in proportion to the diameter of the diaphragm may be made so comparatively small that the pressure head developed would never be willcient to hold it closed when there is substantially no pressure in the chamber 21.

Fuel being supplied to the outlet 29 of the pressure control device at a substantially constant head, a substantially constant flow of fuel into the carburetor will result, and this fuel will be discharged at the throat of the venturi I2 through the orifices I 5.

The amount of fuel flowing into the carburetor will be dependent on the pressure head maintained by the pressure control device I, and also on the suction produced by the air drawn into the engine. The pressure head, due to the control of the device I, supplies a constant amount of fuel per unit of time for each position of the throttle. This constant amount of fuel is added to in proportion to the suction of the engine, so that a properly calibrated fuel supply is maintained for all conditions of constant flow.

Obviously the invention is not limited to the exact details of the various forms shown and these may be modified in various respects as will occur to those skilled in the art. I have shown a complete operative fuel supply system, but one or more of the control devices and other features may be omitted if desired. The exclusive use is contemplated of all such modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a fuel supply system for automotive internal combustion engines, a main fuel tank, a source of gas under pressure, a pair of fuel wells adapted to receive fuel from the main fuel tank, a vent for said fuel wells, a float in one of said wells, a float operated valve for controlling one of said vents, means for conducting fuel from said wells to the engine, and means for controlling the pressure of fuel supplied to said engine in accordance with temporary variations in the relative heights of the main tank and the engine.

2. In a device of the class described, an automotive installation comprising a carburetor mounted near the front end of the automobile, a fuel supply tank mounted near the rear end of the automobile, a fuel pump at said fuel tank for supplying fuel to the carburetor, and means reuphill 0r downhill for varying the pressure supplied by the pump. said means maintaining a substantially constant pressure at said carburetor.

3. In a vehicle, an internal combustion engine, a. fuel tank, a. pump for supplying Iuel from said tank to said engine, a pressure control means for said pump, and means operated by tilting of the vehicle for varying the operating condition of 10 said pressure control means.

4. In a motor vehicle, a carburetor, a fuel supply tank, a pump for delivering :tuel from said tank to said carburetor, a release valve for said- GEORGE R. ERICSON. LEONARD D. BOYCE. 

